The power of perpetuating our property in our families is one of the most valuable and interesting circumstances belonging to it, and that which tends the most to the perpetuation of society itself.

The yielding of the weak is the concession to fear.

No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.

Reflect how you are to govern a people who think they ought to be free, and think they are not. Your scheme yields no revenue; it yields nothing but discontent, disorder, disobedience; and such is the state of America, that after wading through up to your eyes in blood, you could only end up where you begun; that is, to tax where no revenue is to be found... all is confusion beyond it.

I own that there is a haughtiness and fierceness in human nature which will cause innumerable broils, place men in what situation you please.

Man acts from adequate motives relative to his interest, and not on metaphysical speculations.

A great deal of the furniture of ancient tyranny is torn to rags; the rest is entirely out of fashion.